Broken Down Palace
by x shelly belly
Summary: Would you give up your life, for the life of your friend?
1. Authors note

Ok, this story is my longest to date, apart from my main Lilly and James fic still in progress, out soon.

It really should go under the category of Movies _Brokedown Palace_ but it's not in the category list so it's in the miscellaneous!

Anyway this film moved me so much I decided to write it down, or my interpretation of it. So keeping to the original as with all good fan fics, the characters names are the same and there are a couple of quotes, but not many, oh and the story line of course tis not mine. Awww.

LoL In the words of another great writer; 'I own nothing!'

But anyway on with the show!

:: passes out popcorn ::

mmm

Love yas, sHell!


	2. What would you do?

Would you give up your life, for the life of your friend?

If you'd stuffed up their life for so many years, could give up your own to try and make up for theirs?

In a strange surrounding, with no hope left. And everything you've tried has failed in the end. You know in that one moment, this is all you have left.

You can only give them your life. In exchange for giving her one she might live.

So you face the penalty of your one rash decision. The consequence for a single mistake,

the wrest of your years in hell. With one small shred of hope left, one last thing to pray for.

That she won't give up. And maybe one day you'll be free.


	3. A secret

She was always the smart one, innocent and responsible. I was always the wild one, irrational and spontaneous. So whatever went wrong, it was always my fault.

My parent's didn't care as much as hers, so to them my upbringing was broken. Her parent's always blamed me for everything, yet she always stood by me.

'Hawai.' she told them. 'It was only a one week trip! ... Besides,' she argued 'I need to go somewhere before collage.'

But as her best friend I persuaded her to go to Thailand, somewhere exciting! Because _everyone_ goes to Hawai. So Thialand it was, but only to us.

It started out great, as all good holidays do. But never in my darkest nightmares did I imagine it all going this wrong. Never would I have wished this on my most hated enemies, let alone my best friend, or myself.


	4. Home, rats and mistakes

It was all such as rush and a blur. The plane was right there, out the window, we were setting off home. I smiled contently. And then I saw them, the officers shouting and rushing to the passenger line. Blindly we were looked around for someone to run, for a guilty person to try and escape somehow. But no one moved, and then my bag was ripped off my back and I screamed defiantly, I always had more courage. My best friend is scarred and shaking, and they are throwing me violently to the ground as they unzip my pack. Only to reveal in front of my disbelieving eyes ... 3 aluminium tins, marked in some language I can't even read. But the bewilderment on our faces turns to shock as they pulled out the stereotypical bags of white powder. And there are tears falling down my face, screaming 'It's not mine!' But I knew it was too late, as they dragged us away, the plane receding in the corner of my eye. I didn't understand what was going on. Where we were going or what was going to happen. It'll be ok though, I thought, we didn't do anything wrong.

I tripped as I was shoved in a small underground cell, the floors were wet and muddy. There was a hole in the ground where rats were drinking and crowding. The foreign guard yelled at me in amongst his incoherent Thai, pointing at the hole in the ground. 'You go there!'

'I need to go to the bathroom!' I screamed at the top of my lungs. But he didn't care. He didn't even flinch when I broke down and cried, huddled in the corner against the cold concrete.

How did I get here?

As the hours dragged on I wonder if I'd ever see my best friend again. If there was any hope of getting back home.

I heard the footsteps of a stranger echo down the hall, keys jangling. An official looking man looked at me through the bars.

'You come give testament now.' he said. Finally I felt relieved I could just tell them what happened, the nightmare would go away and be over.

'When can I see my friend? Where is she?'

'She ok. You see her soon, after testament.'

He ordered me out the door as they chained my feet.

I sat in the sunlit streaked room, recalling everything that happened and how 'I didn't know what happened. We didn't give our bags to anyone and we didn't speak to anyone!'

But the interrogation was not what I expected. I wouldn't sign what they had written.

'I can't read Thai! I'm not going to sign that!' I screamed. They hit me across the face. Everyone was screaming and I couldn't understand anything they were saying.

But it seemed I had made my point, I was shuffled back to my cell and thrown in the dark again, with only the rats and a guard to watch me.

A few days passed and no matter how much I screamed or pleaded, I was never going to get out. But, my hope lifted as I heard the steel door creak at the end of the hall, some sunlight filtered in.

'Alice?' I heard her voice and the fear subsided.

'Darlene?' I called back. I heard her chains clink as she shuffled down the hall, and then her starved face came into view.

I held out my hand through the bars and caught hers. Tears fell down her face.

'It's ok,' I said. 'It'll all be over soon, ok' she looked at me worried.

'Did you fill out a statement?' she asked me.

'I told them what happened. You didn't sign anything did you Darl?' My brow furrowed and tears welled in my eyes as I looked at her face fall.

'They said it was what I said.' she pleaded with me, she knew what she'd done was wrong.

I pushed her hands down.

'It was in Thai Darl. How could you sign something in Thai?!' My voice panicked, breathing increasing as my eyes widened.

'I didn't know. Please Alice. They told me it was what I said!' There was a pause 'What's going to happen to us?'

'I don't know.' my lips trembling. 'I don't know what you signed.' my voice high.

The guard pushed her away, I grabbed for her hand again, and we held on for as long as possible, and then there was just the silence again. 'Fuck!' I screamed throwing my hands in the air.


	5. Shot down

I woke up as the guard scrapped a stick across my bars.

'Up!' he ordered me. They were coming for me. We were pushed into a room, court-like and formal. The judge looked at us as we stood there on trial. Six aluminium tins sat on a table by our tickets and my backpack. Words were flown around the room, fingers were pointed, and eventually Darlene's statement was thrust forward at the judge.

When it looked like it was over.

'We didn't even get a change to speak!' I screamed over the top of all our pleas. 'She didn't know what she was signing! We can't read Thai! That's not out stuff! We don't know who put it there! We're American citizens. We want to speak to somebody from the American embassy! Where is our representative! Someone who can speak English!! We want to speak to someone from the embassy!'

Finally the judge looked at us. He understood, but looked at us with hatred. He didn't believe us. His words bore down on the room, as the final sound of his hammer against wood cracked through the warm air.

'What the hell is going on?' I screamed.

Our lawyer turned to us and simply said 'Life, you bofe got life.'

'What?' I screamed, 'We didn't get to testify and we haven't even seen an American representative!'

'That's not the way it works here.' he stated. 'You can appeal, but choo have to find chaw own lawyer, somebody who knows this system.'

I stared blankly back at him. He didn't even ask for our account of things, and he could speak English. He just let us lose. Darlene was crying, my face contorted into dry sobs as they pushed us away.

'How long is life?' I screamed back.

'33 years.' he yelled at me. 'I'm sorry.'


	6. Signing my life away

I felt strangely disconnected as the guards, all women proceeded to strip us of our clothes, hose us down and cover us in flea powder. Darlene lost her hair as they hacked at it, to show how brutal they were. We were given a pair of thongs each and loose linen pants with a baggy cotton top in a pale greyish-blue colour. We stepped out into the yard. A sea of women, we were pale outcasts, among the dark skinned majority.

We learnt how to survive in there. Everyday, losing hope of getting out. A couple of weeks went by and I learnt to listen to people, find out how to bargain for things, and learnt of a man who might be able to help us. And so it came to be that we met Hank.

He was an American Lawyer, working in Thailand. He was the only person who we had any chance with. There was only one problem ... we had been framed.

Found in possession of 3 tins of heroin, which they claimed was 6, the only connection for blame was an underground drug network fuelled by the government. They staged these arrests to make it seem like the majority of drugs were imported by westerners, to keep the police off their tales. But we had no idea who could have framed us, and no proof or reasonable doubt to show it wasn't us.

But the worst part, something I had to forgive her for. Darlene had signed our lives away. She signed it was 6, she signed it was mainly me and she signed us to life in this shit hole of a place!

Over the weeks we got our appeal. Hank laid out all the facts, that there was no way 6 tins could fit in my bag. That we apparently gave our bags up to someone dressed as a hotel staff member for transport before we left. That we had no previous records, and we didn't get a fair trial because there was no interpreter present. But for all that he argued, hope was fading. We had no solid proof. And once again the crack of the judges' hammer, rang in my ears. Tears poured from my eyes and we were sent back.

'It's not the last hope. We still have another chance' he told us. But I was not sure I believed him.

Darlene cried that night, her head wresting in my lap. Maybe I could get us out. Maybe it was time to try and talk to her.


	7. Something lost

I woke long before the others, but the door to our open-air group cell was already opened an hour before they got us up. I stepped cautiously among the bodies sleeping contorted on the floor. A sliver of sunlight shone in my eyes and I walked across the yard. I saw her kneeling there, head bent, incense in hand praying to the solitary statue of Budha. And so I silently entered the temple, yet she heard me. Her old lined face stayed straight yet caught sight of my hopeful daring eyes, from the corner of hers.

'You should not enter here Alice sun.' she warned me.

Taking a deep breath of courage I spoke, 'I need to speak to the guard who forgot to lock the gate.'

Her eyes looked up and she turned her head towards me. Knowingly she nodded.

It was dark and I looked at Darlene, she just stared at me, and I knew it was time. I weaved my way through the silent bodies and approached the gate.

'Chan dtaawng gaan bpai suaam.' I said. The guard huffed at me but opened the gate and let me leave for the toilet.

I crouched behind a rock, waiting for Darlene, hoping she could persuade the guard. She crept quickly towards me. Silently we raced across the grounds behind trees and making sure not to be noticed. The bolt slid beneath my hands easily and the gate swung out. My heart skipped a beat and hope flickered through my eyes. We closed the gate behind us and ran for the next. In a matter of moments ducking and weaving we were out, sprinting from the entrance we suddenly stopped, skidding in the gravel.

'Where's the car?' I said. But not having time to think, headlights flashed in front of us framing us against the prison doors. 'Shit!' I screamed. The guards came rushing. Darlene dropped to her knees, her sobs auditable over the stampede of feet coming to imprison us again. I thought about hauling her up for a moment and trying to run.

'Alice?' she questioned me from her teary eyes.

I looked at her, fear in my eyes and knowing there was no way out.

'There was suppose to be a car!' I screamed in anger. As harsh hands dragged us back through the iron and oak doors. Darlene scrambled to get up next to me, the gravel tearing at her skin, her knees bleeding.

I saw her old lined face peering from the shadows, regret shadowed her face, but she was powerless now.

The pain seared through my spine as my back was lashed, and the water splashed out in droplets falling to the floor. I cried and yelled. I couldn't hold it in anymore. We sat curled up next to each other for the wrest of the night. She almost hated me for the pain she felt. But I hated me more, because we were so close.

I think that might have started it, her disbelief in me. I was always the reckless one, why wouldn't I risk our lives for some extra money? Darlene started to question me. 'Did I do it? If so, why?'

Her lack of trust in me ate away. And nothing I could say could convince her otherwise, and everything after that just piled on top of her fears, her distrust for me.


	8. I didn't do it!

We saw our friends. It had been a year, and there they stood, on an open bridge yelling at us locked in caged in corridor across from them. Telling us how they'd grown up and that college was great for them and how everyone was going. And how they missed us, and that they brought us each a bra, a bottle of coke and some pictures to hold onto. Dan laughed at this, he said the bra was Millies' idea. It felt strangely wrong. I asked how my dad was. I'd only spoken to him on the phone a few times. 'He's ok' was all they said.

Darlene saw her brother, she smiled at him as he told her 'Dad's flying over next month, ok? He's trying to do all he can.' She looked at me as if this meant hope for both of us. But I knew her dad never trusted me. They stayed until our 15 minutes were up. I cried after, because their lives were so normal. Darlene felt confused, I was her only safety in here, but she still doubted me.

But it was when her father came that I lost all hope. I was on my own and his words ate into me.

'Alice.' he called as Darlene was pulled away by a guard ahead of me, time up.

'Are you happy with yourself?' his tone was manic, his face trying hard not to cry.

'What?' I screamed over the interference of Thai chatter from the other prisoners and their families.

'Are you happy with yourself? That you ruined her life ... is that what you wanted? It was always you Alice, you were always irresponsible, never thinking about the consequences. Why did you do it? Why did you gamble with her life, of all people?' he looked at me with guilty eyes.

Rage built up in me, tears forming in my eyes and my face screwed up.

'I didn't do it!' I screamed back at him.

'Sure. You're a scammer and you're a manipulator Alice. You think I don't know you? You're dead wrong. The only thing that has ever come out of your mouth is lies. When you were 8, red paint all over the couch, all over your hands, 'I didn't do it.' The parties, the beer cans in the car, the joy rides! 'I didn't do it.' Let me hear you say it again Alice, one more time for old time sake! You lied all those times and I didn't believe you then, what makes you think this time is any different?'

I stared at him with malice. 'Because, I didn't do it!' I screamed tears pouring down my face. I smashed my fists against the cage and the force ricocheted down the corridor as I turned my back on him.

I walked past Darlene. She looked confused. 'It's gonna be ok Alice, we'll get out of here.'

'Sure.' I said in a monotone. I couldn't tell her what he said.


	9. To right a wrong

It seemed Darlene's Dad spoke to Hank. If we could raise enough money we might be able to get a pardon from the high judge. It was the only shot we had, our last chance to go free. I rang my dad for the third time. I begged him to send the money, he said he didn't have it, but he'd get it. I could hear how much he didn't care, how much he thought this was what my life would add up to, like everyone else. The only thing I held onto was this one last chance.

'Why should we trust him?' I asked Hank as we waited in a hall outside the court room.

'Because I know him, he's a good guy. He knows about your case. This judge, he's not in the business.' he assured us, and I felt calmer.

We were summoned with the wrest of the prisoners, many were so old. Like they were only being pardoned because they were close to death. We waited in line as each prisoner before us had their case read out and they pleaded for pardon, if granted they swore an oath and were reunited with their family.

A uniformed policeman took Darlene by the hand and led her into the middle of the room. I tried to follow but someone held me back. Darlene looked back at me and wrenched at the guards arm. Hank spoke very quickly to the guard in Thai and addressed the judge, asking for us to be tried together. The judge looked concerned, but held up his hand, and a silence fell. He shook his head at Hank and spoke. I didn't understand what he said.

'They are to be tried separately or not at all.' the guard holding the case statements said.

Hank rose up again, 'That is not the deal we had!' he shouted.

Darlene's eyes were watering and she looked hopeless.

'I can't go back, Alice, I can't go back!' she screamed at me.

I pulled my arm free and ran towards the judge. I kneeled before him pleading with him to hear me one last time.

'Fang hai di chan, khao mai ruu! Khao mau ruu! Ga roo naa! Fang hai di chan!' My voice screamed in between ragged breaths.

The judge raised his hand and shouted, 'Ngoht!' The guard rushing to grab me let go.

'Let her speak.' he commanded.

'Please just listen to me, she didn't know, it was me, she didn't know!'

Darlene cried to me, 'Don't, Alice don't!'

'She was only protecting me! We've known each other all our lives. Please just let her go. I'll stay! I'll do the time. If you need someone to do the time, I'll do both, just let her go, please!'

Tears streamed down my pained face falling with sobs. The judge stood up, surveying me from his raised chair.

'You sai she didn't know?' he asked, his accent stressing.

'Yes.' I replied the silence growing only interrupted by Darlene's sobs.

'If you are preepared to do her sentence on top of hyours, I will pardon her.'

I looked up at him my mouth stretched and brow furrowed, tears shinning on my face. I nodded slowly. The judge spoke to the guards, waving for me to be taken away. I looked behind at Hank's uneasy wretched face knowing, then at Darlene's distraught emotion.

'No Alice' she muttered. 'Alice!' she screamed at me and reached to grab my hand. But as the guard hauled me up and led me away, I didn't reach back.

Hank held her back around the waist as she screamed and kicked to try and reach me. I just stared at her tears in my eyes, a blank but slightly frightened expression. My head refusing to turn from her sight. I could make it, I could last. I knew she wouldn't have.

'I'm sorry.' I said to her. 'I'm sorry,'

She disappeared from my sight, and it was done. Maybe I had screwed up her life all these years. This was the only way I knew how to make up for it. I'd give up my life for hers.


	10. Bravery and false hope

I woke up, in the same open cell, in amongst all the other prisoners. But she wasn't there next to me. And I stared at the place she used to sleep. And I felt empty but glad, because she was free.

The afternoon was setting in, and then I saw her walking towards me, her old lined face smiling at me. She summoned me to her, and simply said 'Alice sun, Darlene sun is here.' I followed her to the gate and she led me to the entrance. I ran to the side gate, and caught her hand through the bars.

'Why, did you do it?' she asked me, she was still unsure about my innocence but tried to direct her question towards yesterday.

'Does it matter?' I asked, seeing her real meaning.

'No.' she replied.

'Because if I say that I did it, you won't forget me and you'll hate me, and if I say that I didn't you still won't forget me.'

'Either way, I won't stop until we're together again.'

'You need to forget me Darl. You have to go live, get out of here.' I wanted to tell her I did it for her and what the truth was. At least to give me some hope. But I knew it would take over her life.

'I can't.' she smiled at me. 'You told me it would be ok.'

'It is.' I said. 'You're going home?' It was a question as well as a statement, as I saw the car behind her, her father looked at me smiling. Almost telling me I'd done the right thing.

And Hank stood closer waiting till Darlene was done.

'You have to go,' I told her. She knew it had more meaning than what it plainly stated.

She squeezed my hand and pressed her face against the bars to kiss me on the cheek.

'It'll be ok.' she said.

'It already is.' I replied. I let go first, and she walked backwards towards the car. Hank casually strolled towards me.

'What you did was brave.' he said.

'I've screwed up all our lives. It's all I could fix.'

'It's not over yet, I'll keep looking.'

'Just let it be.'

And so I wait, holding onto my somewhat false hope.


End file.
